Although I do think there is a dash of "well okay that makes sense" advice in here, all in all it sure made me glad I am not in the 1950's right now.
I added my own commentary in here in purple.
The Good Wife's Guide (5/13/55 Houskeeping Monthly)
Housekeeping Monthly May 13, 1955 | May 13, 1955 | Un-Named
The Good Wife’s Guide
1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.
I get this one. I'm not sure about making it ALL about him, but planning ahead for dinner saves on stress and it's good to have a dinner ritual if and when you can.
2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.
Uhhh, nice idea, but lets be honest, Nathan is lucky if I am not covered in mud, pee, poop, puke, and if I even had time to put on make up/do my hair in the first place. Maybe this is something I should work on...
3. Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
Hmm. I don't even know where to begin with this one. I don't know how happy he'd be about me telling him where I found the remote this time, as "interesting" as it is to me after searching for two hours just to put on Dora for twenty minutes of peace and Spanglish singing children.
4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.
This I actually do. Without fail, every day. I make the kids do it too. It makes me feel like he will know I wasn't just letting the kids take control of the house all day and had some order, even if it is destroyed again 10 minutes after he comes home.
5. Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper etc. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.
Well again, I do the first half, but dusting is a Thursday chore... if I remember on Thursday.
6. Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
Ha. okay. My house will never be a place of rest and order, as hard as I may try. Maybe at 3 in the morning, but then there are still sleepwalking children, and random night time bed crashers...
7. Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.
I wish the kids would play along with this rule, but I will not change an outfit covered with the day's grime for the hour they see him before they get ready for bed. That would add like two more loads of laundry a week. And I'm happy if the dishwasher, washer, or dryer is going.. it means there are no dirty dishes/clothes lying around!
8. Be happy to see him.
Lord I am! Once he comes home my chances of peeing alone increase by about 75%!
9. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.
I'm starting to think that this person also created Stepford Wives.
10. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
I get the first half, not so much the he is mightier than thou thing though.
11. Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.
Can't the evening be OURS? I don't care what anyone says, I still think my world if filled with much more strain... or stress, okay but I guess it's also filled with more fun too.
12. Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.
Agreed, but for all of us.
13. Don’t greet him with complaints and problems.
Didn't we already go over this? Is this saying we complain to much?
14. Don’t complain if he’s late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.
You better damn well be sure I'll be "complaining" if he's out all night without good reason.
15. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.
Sure, as long as I get a chance to do it on the weekends.
16. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
Did he just become a child? Arrange his pillow? Can he not remove his own shoes? I will try to alternate using my pleasant voice and shouting for the kids to quiet down so their dad can enjoy a gosh darn drink already! I'm starting to feel bad for my grandmother.
17. Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
Aaaaand you lost me.
Thanks for the tutorial in why this is no longer a modern day practice.
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